Key-retaining device



L. M; sN'oDGRAss1- M j .KEY ETArNING DEVICE k Filgd'July 1s. 1923 g wue'n To@ 6565 Shady/ais Mfr/@Ss Patented July 8, 1924.

inane ATENT oFFicE.

LESLIE M. SNODGRASS, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

KEY-RETAINING DEVICE.

Application filed .Tu1y 16,

T|0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known-that I, Lnsnm M. SNoDGRAss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Key- Retaining Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a device for retaining a key within a lock and has for its principal object to provide a device which may be inserted in the keyhole, holding the key in the'keyhole and in a turned position so that the same may not be removed. It is the common practice to provide rather cheap inefficient locks for the rear doors of residences. lith this device the key may be inserted into the lock and turned tolock the door and this device insei-ted into the key hole and locked to the key so that it will be impossible to insert 4a -key into the lock from the exterior and also impossible to. pick the lock.

-Another importa-nt object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which may be manufactured at a low cost because of its simple and eliicient structure and which will be reliable and durable.

lVith the above? and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description progresses, the invention resides incertain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings- Figure l is an elevation showing a lock l with a key and my device associated therewith,

Figure. 2 is a top plan of the structure shown in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the device, and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device before the same is bent.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that l designates an ordinary lock provided with the. keyhole 2. A 'key 3 is disposed within the keyhole and turned. My device is inserted in the keyhole under the key and of course prevents the turning thereof. This device is formed preferably from sheet material and the blank is shown in Figure 4. This blank is bent along the line 4 which extends centrally and 1923. Serial No. 651,885.

to house the handle ll of the key so'that a i padlock 12 may be inserted through the handle and through the apertures l0.

When the device is assembled as is shown in Figure l it will be quite impossible for anyone to remove the key 3 from the outside and therefore quite impossible to pick the lock. This device makes the ordinary door lock quite as efcient as those of a more complicated nature which are far more expensive.

. I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results but it is to be understood that numerous changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its numerous advantages.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:

l. A key retaining device of the class described formed from a. sheet of material bent upon itself from one end to an intermediate point soi as to form a body adapted.

for insertion in a key hole, and further bent at 'the intermediate point to provide a slanting portion terminating in an apertured lip substantially co-planer with the upper edge of the body.

2. A key retaining device formed from a sheet of material bent upon itself from one end to an intermediate point so as to form a body adapted for insertion in a key hole, and further bent at the intermediate point to provide a slanting portion terminating in an apertured lip substantially co-planer with the upper edge of the body and an apertured extension provided on the lip for as to overlie the same for the reception of the key bow.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESLIE M. SNODGRASS.

Witnesses:

C. M. HAMBUGHT, J. E. DE BAUFER. 

